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January 13th, 2006

Boeken in 2006: 4-6

boek 4: The Jane Austen Book club, Karen Joy Fowler
I did like this book. I hadn’t heard or read that much about it, so my expectations weren’t that high. I must admit I’ve only read Pride and Predjudice and Persuasion, both over ten years ago, so most of Jane Austen is still new to me. Thus, for me, the characters in this book were mainly themselves and not that much like Jane’s creations. I didn’t like the “we” narrator that much, it made me feel there was a seventh person around. But overall, it was a pleasant read.
Conclusion: This book has mainly made my mount to-be-read higher: I do have all Jane Austen books (yes, in one volume *shame on me*), and will try to (re)read them, starting with Northanger Abbey.

boek 5: Olivia Joules and the Overactive Imagination, Helen Fielding
Olivia Joules is an international reporter and adventurer who can speak several languages and doesn’t need a man. Her unbelievable stories has her demoted from the international beat to the Style pages, and she’s sent to Miami to cover the launch of a new facial cream. There she meets a film producer whom she’s convinced is really Osama bin Laden. Soon she’s traveling the world trying to uncover his terrorist plots, involving her not just in the jet set lifestyle, but danger and adventure as well. Or is her overactive imagination running amok again? A very hilarious mixture of chick-lit and a James Bond-like spy novel, which I found hard to resist.
Conclusion: Only recommended to those who love chick-lit and have at least an active imagination, otherwise you’d find the novel too absurd.

boek 6: The curious incident of the dog in the night-time, Mark Haddon
I loved this book! I’ve worked with autistic kids and know some autistic adults as well, so I have a bit of background information. I think Mark Haddon succeeded in creating a great example of a high-functioning autistic boy. And I had to like Christopher for being himself. Ofcourse it was predictable for us, people who understand the rules of society, that he would get in trouble sometimes, but for someone who doesn’t see those rules naturally and hasn’t learned/programmed himself to follow them nonetheless, the world could be like the one in this book.
Conclusion: I recommend this book to anyone who wishes to know more about autism, loves science and/or likes a good book.